SCHUYLERVILLE — A dominating 12-0 Wasaren season and a trip to the Section II Class C final were just two highlights of last season’s Schuylerville boy’s varsity lacrosse team.
Now, with one season under his belt, head coach Andrew Smith enters the 2014 season with the bar set high and a young team “ready to hit the ground running.”
“The one difference between last year’s team and this year’s team is definitely the age of the majority of the players,” Smith said. “We had a lot of experience with 11 or 12 seniors last year. This year we have a total of three. Lot of leadership coming from those three, but we’re also looking at some younger guys to step up and play a big role in what we’re trying to do this year.”
One player who is returning is sophomore Zach Pierce. As a freshman in 2013, Pierce was the team leader in goals and assists, and was a big reason why the Black Horses outscored opponents 177-53 in a 12-1 stretch from April 9 to May 16.
“Last year he kind of jumped onto the scene as a freshman,” Smith said. “No one really knew who he was. It won’t be that way this year. Physically he’s ready to go, but we’re trying to mentally and emotionally get him ready for the challenge of that and how different this season will be compared to last—drawing team’s No. 1 defenders and things like that. It’s an exciting challenge for him.”
The Black Horses lose their No. 2 and No. 3 scorers from last year, Luke Pumiglia and Morgan Cornell—two of last season’s seniors who Pierce said he learned a lot of valuable lessons from just by playing alongside them.
“Those two guys were obviously not only exceptional lacrosse players, they were great people and great leaders,” Smith said. “It’s difficult to replace good talent, but it’s even harder to replace those quality people, those great leaders.”
Being such a young team could very well be something the team will struggle with early on, Smith said, but he also expects many kids to step up and grow together—Not only this season, but in years to come.
“I’ve been associated with coaching for a while no,” Smith said. “Not as a head guy, but as an assistant coach at Ballston Spa. One of the early lessons I’ve learned is that every team is going to be different and that makes it exciting and challenging all at the same time.”
Overall, last year’s team had three losses. Two of them were to non-league Glens Falls, including the Class C championship game at the University at Albany.
After a one-goal loss in the regular season, the Black Horses fell 13-10 in the final.
“You always remember how you ended last year,” Smith said. “You always remember the taste that was left in your mouth, whether it be good or bad. I’m won’t say that we’ve forgotten what happened last year and what it felt like to reach a high level as we did and how fortunate we were.”
As of Thursday, Smith was hopeful for the team two get a scrimmage in with two to three 40 minute running times on Saturday, weather permitting. Schuylerville’s opening regular season game is scheduled for Tuesday at Cambridge.
The team’s first home game is scheduled for Thursday, March 27 against Voorheesville.
